How Teachers Build Great Relationships With Students

How Teachers Build Great Relationships With Students The best teachers are capable of maximizing the learning potential of each student in their class. They understand that the key to unlocking student potential is by developing positive, respectful relationships with their students beginning on the first day of the school year. Building a trusting relationship with your students can be both challenging and time-consuming. Great teachers become masters at it in time. They will tell you that developing solid relationships with your students is paramount in fostering academic success. It is essential that you earn your students’ trust early on in the year. A trusting classroom with mutual respect is a thriving classroom complete with active, engaging learning opportunities. Some teachers are more natural at building and sustaining positive relationships with their students than others. However, most teachers can overcome a deficiency in this area by implementing a few simple strategies into their classroom on a daily basis. Here are some strategies to try. Provide Structure Most kids respond positively to having structure in their classroom. It makes them feel safe and leads to increased learning. Teachers who lack structure not only lose valuable instructional time but often never gain the respect of their students. It is essential that teachers set the tone early by establishing clear expectations and practicing class procedures. It is equally critical that students see that you follow through when boundaries are overstepped. Finally, a structured classroom is one with minimal downtime. Each day should be loaded with engaging learning activities with little to no downtime. Teach With Enthusiasm and Passion   Students will respond positively when a teacher is enthusiastic and passionate about the content she is teaching. Excitement is contagious. When a teacher introduces new content enthusiastically, students will buy in. They will get just as excited as the teacher, thus translating to increased learning. Exuberance will rub off on the students in your classroom when you are passionate about the content you teach. If you are not excited, why should your students be excited? Have a Positive Attitude Everyone has terrible days including teachers. Everyone goes through personal trials that can be difficult to handle. It is essential that your personal issues do not interfere with your ability to teach. Teachers should approach their class each day with a positive attitude. Positivity is transcending. If the teacher is positive, the students will generally be positive. No one likes to be around someone who is always negative. Students will in time resent a teacher who is always negative. However, they will run through a wall for a teacher is positive and continuously offering praise. Incorporate Humor into Lessons Teaching and learning should not be boring. Most people love to laugh. Teachers should incorporate humor into their daily lessons. This may involve sharing an appropriate joke related to the content you will be teaching that day. It may be getting into character and donning a silly costume for a lesson. It may be laughing at yourself when you make a silly mistake. Humor comes in several forms and students will respond to it. They will enjoy coming to your class because they love to laugh and learn. Make Learning Fun Learning should be fun and exciting. Nobody wants to spend time in a classroom where lecturing and note-taking are the norms. Students love creative, engaging lessons that grab their attention and allow them to take ownership of the learning process. Students enjoy hands-on, kinesthetic learning activities where they can learn by doing. They are enthusiastic about technology-based lessons that are both active and visual. Use Student Interests to Your Advantage Every student has a passion for something. Teachers should use these interests and passions to their advantage by incorporating them into their lessons. Student surveys are a fantastic way to measure these interests. Once you know what your class is interested in, you have to find creative ways to integrate it into your lessons. Teachers who take the time to do this will see increased participation, higher involvement and an overall increase in learning. Students will appreciate the extra effort you have made to include their interest in the learning process. Incorporate Story Telling into Lessons   Everyone loves a compelling story. Stories allow students to make real-life connections to the concepts that they are learning. Telling stories to introduce or reinforce concepts bring those concepts to life. It takes the monotony out of learning rote facts. It keeps students interested in learning. It is especially powerful when you can tell a personal story related to a concept being taught. A good story will allow students to make connections that they may not have made otherwise. Show an Interest in Their Lives Outside of School Your students have lives away from your classroom. Talk to them about their interests and extracurricular activities that they participate in. Take an interest in their interests even if you do not share the same passion. Attend a few ball games or extracurricular activities to show your support. Encourage your students to take their passions and interests and turn them into a career. Finally, be considerate when assigning homework. Think about the extracurricular activities occurring on that particular day and try not to overburden your students. Treat Them With Respect Your students will never respect you if you do not respect them. You should never yell, use sarcasm, single a student out, or attempt to embarrass them. Those things will lead to a loss of respect from the entire class. Teachers should handle situations professionally. You should deal with problems individually, in a respectful, yet direct and authoritative manner. Teachers must treat each student the same. You cannot play favorites. The same set of rules must apply to all students. It is also vital that a teacher is fair and consistent when dealing with students. Go the Extra Mile Some students need teachers who will go that extra mile to ensure that they are successful. Some teachers provide extra tutoring on their own time before and/or after school for struggling students. They put together extra work packets, communicate with parents more frequently and take a genuine interest in the well-being of the student. Going the extra mile may mean donating clothing, shoes, food or other household goods that a family needs to survive. It may be continuing to work with a student even after he is no longer in your classroom. It is about recognizing and assisting in meeting student needs inside and outside of the classroom.

What to Do When Your Green Card is Lost in the Mail

What to Do When Your Green Card is Lost in the Mail You aced your interview and received a note saying that youve been approved for permanent residence and your green card has been mailed. But now its a month later and you still havent received your green card. What do you do? If your green card has been lost in the mail, you will need to apply for a replacement card. This sounds simple, if a bit of a pain, until you learn that you may also have to pay another filing fee for the application and biometrics (rates can vary). This fee is in addition to what you paid for the initial green card application. Its enough to push even the most patient person over the edge. The rule is, if you do not receive the green card in the mail and USCIS mailed it to the address you provided but the card isnt returned to USCIS, then you must pay the full filing fee. (You can read this on the I-90 instructions, What is the Filing Fee?) If the undelivered card is returned to USCIS, you still need to file for a replacement card but the filing fee is waived. Here are some tips to consider when your green card is lost in the mail. Make Sure Youve Been Approved Sounds silly, but you want to be sure that youve actually been approved before you start rattling any cages. Have you received the approval letter or email? Has the card been mailed out? If you cant confirm this with the information you have, make an Infopass appointment at your local field office to find out the details. Wait 30 Days USCIS advises that you wait 30 days before assuming the card has been lost in the mail. This allows for time for the card to be mailed and returned to USCIS if undeliverable. Check With Your Post Office The Post Office is supposed to return the undelivered card to USCIS but just in case they havent, go to your local USPS office and ask if they have any undelivered mail in your name. Make an Infopass Appointment Even if you verified the details with by calling the 1-800 number for the National Customer Service Center, Id suggest double-checking the information at your local field office. Make an Infopass appointment and have them verify the address that the card was sent to and the date it was mailed. If the USCIS officer can confirm that it was sent to the correct address, its been more than 30 days since the card was mailed and the card has not been returned to USCIS, its time to move on. Contact Your Congressperson If youre lucky, your local Congressperson will agree with you that paying an additional fee for a replacement card is absurd, and offer to work with you to help USCIS see it in the same way. Ive read a few success stories from people in the same situation; it all depends on who you get. Find your House or Senate representative to learn how best to contact them. Most district offices will have caseworkers who help with federal agency problems. There is no guarantee that they will get the fees waived for you, but it has helped some people so its worth a try. File I-90 Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card Whether or not the card has been returned to USCIS, the only way to get a new card is to file Form I-90 Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card. If you need confirmation of your status to work or travel while its processing, make an Infopass appointment to get a temporary I-551 stamp until your new card arrives.

Inflation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Inflation - Essay Example It’s a change expressed in percentage and compared over a time period. Economists have defined inflation as the sustained general increase in the price of goods and services1. When the prices goes up more money can only pay for fewer goods and services and the currency is said to have lost its purchasing power as the medium of exchange as well as the unit of account in an economy. When the prices goes up the situation is said to be price inflation while the money is in large supply the situation is referred to as monetary inflation2. Several other concepts are related to inflation such as deflation which refers to a fall in the price levels generally while disinflation refers to a rate decrease in inflation while hyperinflation is when the price increase is beyond control3. A general belief among economist is that inflation is caused by excess money supply in the economy which pushes demand for both goods and services. The measure of inflation is done through rating the increase in prices over a specified period of time. Inflation rate is expressed as a percentage and is calculated by working out the change in the price index and more so the consumer price index4. The price index on itself cannot give the rate of inflation but it becomes useful when calculating the inflation rate. This rate is the percentage change rate of price index over a period of time. To calculate the inflation rate the formula below is used The widely used examples of indices to calculated inflation include consumer price index (CPI) which measures change in prices of goods and services (in a fixed basket) purchased by a consumer5. This fixed basket has goods and services put together and are representative of the economy. The producer price index measures price change on average as received by domestic producers. It measures the price paid by producers. It differs from the CPIs in that

Pair-wise Sequencing Alignment Math Problem Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Pair-wise Sequencing Alignment - Math Problem Example Answer = 0.0 1.e. Are there any other results having the same E-value? If so, how many? Answer = Yes, 19others 1.f. What is the Max score for the top BLASTN search result? Answer = 4693 1.g. What is the Total score for the top BLASTN search result? Answer = 4693 1.h. What is the Query coverage for the top BLASTN search result? Answer = 100% 1.i What is the Max ident for the top BLASTN search result? Answer = 100% 1.j Are there any other results compared to the top BLASTN search result that have the same E-value, same Max score, same Query coverage, same Max ident, same Total score? If so, how many? Answer = Yes, 1 other 2. Using the sequence provided at the bottom of this document, Perform BLASTX using Database option set to "Reference proteins (refseq_protein)". Keep all other settings and parameters at the default value. 2.a. How many Blast Hits do you get for the sequence? Answer = 1 2.b. What is the sequence most similar to? Provide the Sequence Accession as your answer. Answer = XP_003433170.1 2.c. ... Answer = 58% 2.g. When you inspect the first alignment for the top BLASTX search result, what is the % Gap listed? Answer = 6% 2.h. When you inspect the first alignment for the top BLASTX search result, what is the Frame indicated? Answer = -1 Sequence to use: >

The Origin Of Money And Banking Essay Example for Free

The Origin Of Money And Banking Essay Origin of Money. Origin of Banking Money did not develop spontaneously at the same time across the world. It has evolved and developed gradually over the past 5,000 years   till it develops into the various forms in which we now know it today. It has assumed different unfamiliar shapes, structures, recognized in certain objects   in whatever communities where it had been used as a medium of exchange before transforming into the present universally acceptable coins, bank notes, and now the â€Å"cashless society† where credits can be accessed with mere presentation of plastic cards, or use of telephone to obtain money from a bank. Indeed the origin of money and banking had come a long way, and this is exactly what this paper is out to explore. According t, Gly Davies, (2002),   Money originated very largely from non-economic causes: from tribute as well as from trade, from blood-money and bride-money as well as from barter, from ceremonial and religious rites as well as from commerce, from ostentatious ornamentation as well as from acting as the common drudge between economic men.   [1] The barter system is the system that has sustained mankind before the evolution of money. But this was discarded because of its complexities and inconveniences.   So the use of money developed out of deeply rooted needs for a more convinient medium of exchange and to some extent customs; the clumsiness of barter provided an economic impulse but that was not the primary factor. The evolution of money had seen it taken different nature, various forms of tools and objects. For example, various precious metals had been accepted and used as money in primitive communities, Also, cowrie shells obtained in some island in the Indian Ocean. In the words of Davies (2002) quoted above, . So important a role did the cowrie play as money in ancient China that its pictograph was adopted in their written language for money.[2] Even in most communities in West Africa used this medium of currency until the recent times. In Nigeria, the cowrie was in use till even the recent decades. Also in China, disc shaped stones were used, and this is known as yap. In variuos other communities in objects like sheep, goat, cattle, manillas, and whale teeth were once used as money. China and some European countries had also produced metal coins in some other forms of objects like spade, hoe, and knives, and they had long been accepted as currencies in their communities. Most archeologies suggested that coins and metal money evolved at the end of the second millenium. The same time that the European coins evolved too. The ancient Greeks used iron nails as coins. Even Julius Ceasar had to taunt the primitive Britons as backward for using sword blades as coins. The invention and modernization of money makes trading and commerce easier. With money, all prices can be expressed in the same way, in terms of how much money is needed to buy the product. The unit of money becomes the measuring stick of value, or what economists call the standard of value. With money, making choices, becomes easier. ORIGIN OF BANKING. According to the account of   Benjamin Bromberg, (1942), he traced the origin of banking to ancient Babylon, in the city of Mesopotamia, where the royal palaces and temples provided safety and security for keeping grains and other commodities. Receipts were issued for all such goods deposited. Even private houses got involved in such banking operations that laws regulating their activities was included in code of Hammurabi.[3] Also, in Egypt, the centralization of state warehouses also led to a ststem of banking. In the view of morris Jatrow (1911), It is believed that the temple is the first bank in the whole world. It has noble existence for about four thousand years. However, its exact financial record did not date beyound the reign of Sabuis (1884-1831)[4] The kept record of payment of tithes, and every revenue from other cities. [1] Davies, Gly . History of Money. From the Ancient Times to the Present Day. Cardif: University of Wales Press. 2002. Pp. 36. [2] Ibid. Pp 36. [3]Benjamin Bromberg,   The Origin of Banking: Religious Finance in Babylonia. The Journal of Economic History, Vol. 2, No. 1 (May, 1942), pp. 77 [4] Jastrow Morris, Aspects of Religious Believe and Practice in Babylonia and Assyria. New York: Princeton Publishers. 1911. Pp 277.

Symbols of Alienation and Loneliness Essay -- Literary Analysis, John

Symbols of Loneliness and Alienation According to DiYanni, Symbols in fiction are simply objects, actions, or even events that convey meaning. The meaning they convey extends beyond their literal significance, beyond their more obvious actual reason for being included in the story (Literature 95). In â€Å"The Chrysanthemums,† John Steinbeck reveals the theme of loneliness and alienation of a woman from her husband through his symbolic use of a realistic setting, character, tinker, chrysanthemums, and conversations. In â€Å"The Chrysanthemums,† Steinbeck paints a vivid picture of Salinas Valley’s landscape and climate to reflect the gloomy mood of the main character Elisa. The introduction of the story conveys a disturbing separation of Salina Valley from the rest of the world. Just as â€Å"the high grey-flannel fog of winter [closes] off Salinas Valley from †¦ the rest of the world† so is Elisa isolated from Harry. Similarly, the â€Å"fog and rain† foreshadows the estranged relationship that exists between Elisa and Harry (Steinbeck 192). Elisa is a thirty-five year old â€Å"handsome† wife who lives on a ranch with her husband Harry. At the beginning of the story, little interaction is demonstrated between the couple, except for glances Elisa casts â€Å"across the yard [to see] Henry, her husband, [talk] to two men in business suits† he is trying to sell some property to without the knowledge of his wife (193). It is evident Elisa feels lonely so she channels all her time, energy and love towards raising her â€Å"chrysanthemums† in her â€Å"wire fence† garden. Not only does the â€Å"wire fence† protect Elisa’s â€Å"flower garden† from â€Å"cattle and dogs and chicken† but it also serves as a barrier between Elisa and Harry and removes every opportunity from the couple to... ...o be opened for any eventualities. And for Elisa every lingering hope for a passionate and nurturing relationship with Harry is a fiasco as she realizes that the â€Å"glowing† the â€Å"tinker† leaves behind is just a figment of her imagination. Her inner passion may never be released around Harry but will be â€Å"strong† in her garden as she pours it all out on her â€Å"chrysanthemums† (197). So she requests for a â€Å"wine† in a tone that is devoid of affection between the couple. Elisa probably hopes that when she wakes up after the drink wears off everything will be a dream. Indeed John Steinbeck’s â€Å"Chrysanthemums† is a symbolic demonstration of the loneliness and alienation that continues to plague many relationships leading to unsatisfied marriages. By using a realistic setting and typical characters Steinbeck makes the story relevant to many generations to come.

Literary devices used in “A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man” Essay

Joyce has used the name Daedalus as a literary vehicle to give the reader a sense of deeper understanding about Stephen as a character in â€Å"A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man â€Å". There is a link between Stephen Dedalus and the Greek mythological figure Daedalus and this becomes apparent to Stephen when he hears his friends say his name in Greek. When Stephen compares himself to the â€Å"fabulous artificer† their similar plight reveals itself. The correlation between Stephen’s need to escape Ireland to write, parallels Daedalus’s escape through flight from Crete. Through the correlation between Stephen and Icarus, Joyce was referencing the overconfidence and pride that both Stephen and Icarus had. It is apparent that Stephen is proud yet pretentious especially when conversing with his friends who he feels he has outgrown mentally. Icarus fell to his death because of his overconfidence and pride. This demonstrates Stephen’s willingness to take risks to realize his destiny even if it includes failures. Stephen compares himself to Lucifer in chapter four saying, â€Å"The snares of the world were its ways of sin. He would fall. He had not fallen yet but he would fall silently and in an instant.† Lucifer fell from heaven because of his pride saying, â€Å"I will not serve†. Stephen also full of pride in himself refuses to honor or serve his family, church and his country. This defiance in Stephen demonstrates his strong will to do what he wants with his life. Joyce has used birds as a literary device in â€Å"A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man† to develop themes and evoke a visual image for the reader. Birds are usually associated with freedom and flight, yet the earliest mention of birds is related to punishment. Dante’s threat that eagles would pick out his eyes essentially comes true in a symbolic sense. Stephen becomes blinded by mortal sin with prostitutes and was then blinded by a life of total devotion to religion. Heron, Stephens boyhood adversary has bird-like features and a birds name, literally picks on Stephen for standing up for his beliefs. Stephen repressed his emotions when confronted with Heron’s attacks. Later when  questioned about his beliefs and ideology by Cranly (meaning crane-like), Stephen expresses his emotions by asserting his strength and independence. Stephen’s epiphany takes place when he walks along the beach and sees the young girl wading in the water. This conjures up the image of a wading bird and it reawakens Stephen’s belief in beauty. Stephen also examines the similarities between Dedalus and himself. The thought of Dedalus flying away to escape his imprisonment reinforces Stephen’s destiny to leave Ireland and pursue a new life of freedom. Joyce may have used the term bat-like to describe the Irish as being blind to the â€Å"nets† of Ireland that repeatedly hold them back and deny them their freedom. Stephen’s reference to the â€Å"bat-like soul† may allude to his dark and secretive desires for women and the mystery that surrounds them. Stephen’s greatest epiphany occurs when he is awaiting news of his acceptance to the University. Joyce has taken two major events in Stephen’s life to transform the character into the emerging artist. Stephen’s decision to deny the life of priesthood and pursue a career as an artist proves the importance of his individuality. Joyce has transformed Stephen’s walk on the beach into a metamorphosis for Stephen. I equate his transformation into an artist to that of a butterfly emerging from its chrysalis. Each stage of Stephen’s life helps to morph him into the artist that he will inevitably become. Stephen discovers that he will leave behind the cocoon of family, church, and country to symbolically fly to his destiny. Stephen’s encounter with the boys that call him by his Greek name triggers his imagination about Dedalus. As Stephen meditates on the mythical figure Dedalus he discovers that it must be his fate to pursue art. He realizes that it is his destiny to create art and sore to greatness. The image of the â€Å"hawk like man flying sunward above the sea† supports Stephen’s â€Å"prophecy of the end he had been born to serve and he had been following through the mists of childhood and boyhood.† Stephen’s journey through life is to be realized through independence and a newly found freedom. His metamorphosis is not yet complete but now within reach. Stephen’s experiences with women in â€Å"A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man† have always been awkward and laden with moral consequences. His experience with the girl on the tram frustrates him and when he attempts to write a poem about her he is unable to. Stephen’s encounter with prostitutes was morally wrong and he was fraught with guilt. When Stephen decides to confess his sins he devotes his life to religion and praise of the Virgin Mary. He imagines the Holy Virgin joining his hand with Emma’s and attributes saint-like qualities to Emma. Stephen’s concept of women and sexuality had been very misguided to this point. This changes when Stephen sees the girl wading in the water at the beach. Stephen admires her beauty without guilt and experiences a revelation about women and the beauty they posses. The image of the girl delivers inspiration to Stephen the now transformed artist.

Would you expect a stronger anti-union response

Would you expect a stronger anti-union response from an employer in a manufacturing environment or a service environment? Why? By Andres-Su Would you expect a stronger anti-union response from an employer in a manufacturing environment or a service environment? Why? I would expect a heavier anti-union response from the manufacturing industry for a wide variety of reasons. Firstly, because due to the fact there is more market power in manufacturing giving unions more leverage to exact demands from employers.Secondly, Jobs in service industries are generally of a shorter duration, so workers leave their Jobs frequently so unionization is not a high priority. The cost of labor is also higher in service Jobs, so unions have less power. So simply put, there will be a much more anti-union response in the manufacturing industry simply because manufacturing unions have much more power and leverage compared to workers in service industries. Select an organization with which you are familiar, and discuss the possible argaining units that would be appropriate for collective bargaining in its structure.Just because it Just literally happened, I chose MLB (Major League Baseball). Baseball players and owners signed an agreement for a new labor contract Tuesday, a deal that makes baseball the first North American professional major league to start blood testing on human growth hormone and expands the playoffs to 10 teams. The five- year deal collective bargaining agreement makes changes owners hope will increase competitive balance by pressuring large-market teams to rein in spending on mateur draft picks and international signings.Other highlights include: Players will be required to play in the All-Star Game unless injured or excused, Instant replay will be expanded to include decisions on foul lines and traps, subject to an agreement with umpires, Players, managers and coaches may not use smokeless tobacco products during televised interviews and may not carry them in thei r uniforms, Players arrested for DWI will be required to undergo mandatory evaluation, and Players will start wearing improved batting helmets manufactured by Rawlings by 013.Review the arguments for and against the Employee Free Choice Act and the Mandatory Secret Ballot Protection Act. How would you vote? Give your reasons. The Employee Free Choice Act is a piece of legislation that would change federal law in order to, according to the bill's authors; strengthen the rights of workers to unionize. It attempts to do so by changing the procedure by which workers unionize. Currently, union campaigns must secure support from 30% of workers in a company through card-ballots, which subsequently sends the campaign into a secret ballot lection.If a majority of workers then vote by secret ballot to unionize, a union may be certified by the National Labor Relations Board and established. The Employee Free Choice Act intends to change the law so that a union can be created by a majority vote from the card-ballot process alone, avoiding the second process of a secret ballot election. It also establishes stronger penalties for violation of employee rights when workers seek to form a union and during first-contract negotiations and provides for mediation and arbitration for first-contract disputes.

The mega and task environments are external influencers to an organisation Essays

The mega and task environments are external influencers to an organisation Essays The mega and task environments are external influencers to an organisation Paper The mega and task environments are external influencers to an organisation Paper Essay Topic: Kindred 1. Introduction The mega and task environments are external influencers to an organisation and need to be recognised, analysed and managed for the business to experience sustained success and competitive advantage in the market. These external stimuli include factors such as technological, economic and legal-political elements and customers, competitors, suppliers and employees (Bartol et al, 2003).. Organisations must look outside of their behaviour product markets only and include political and social factors, labour training and employment norms and legislation as well as culture and values when making sound business decisions (North, 1990). The elements made up in the mega and task environments are explored in this discussion as they relate to SecurityMail, an organisation specialising in the direct marketing industry. Tony Revell, the Sales Business Solutions Manager at SecurityMail, was interviewed to gain an understanding of the external factors influencing business sales operations at SecurityMail. This discussion aims to analyse the mega and task environmental elements that effect the organisation and whether all the elements are identified as being important. 2. SecurityMail SecurityMail was founded in 1980 in response to a demand for a secure mailing house and is the third largest mail house in Australia. SecurityMail has grown into a sophisticated information systems management business with an annual turnover of $120 million. They employ 700 people at operations in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane and their core business activity is defined as data and document management (SecurityMail National Employee Handbook, 2002). SecurityMail has created a niche in the market by providing a personalised service, tailored to meet the individual needs of their customers. They recognise that many clients have specific requirements that may be unique to them or their industry. SecurityMail also recognises that in order to be able to meet the requirements of their client base they must also seek and foster a responsive and co-operative approach from their suppliers (SecurityMail Company Profile, 2001). Tony Revell, the General Manager, Victoria Sales Business Solutions is well placed to observe and comment on SecurityMails relationship with its external environment. Tony joined SecurityMail in April 2001 having come from within the mail processing and fulfilment industry. He has over 24 years management and sales experience in the direct mailing and chemical and scientific industries and also has an MBA and a Bachelor of Business majoring in Economics and Marketing. At Security Mail Tony Revell manages the Sales and Business Development activities and also the Project Management arm of the operations in Victoria (refer to Appendix 1.1 for SecurityMails Organisational Chart). He is in constant contact with the external environment and is required to manage the effects and influences of both the mega and task environments and talked in depth about the effects these environments have on SecurityMails operations. 3 Mega and Task Environments 3.1 Mega Environment The term mega environment refers to the external environment that reflects conditions and trends in the society that an organisation operates within. There are five major elements to the mega environment; technological, economic, legal-political, sociocultural and international. These elements are often external to the span of control of the organisation and as such are often unable to be influenced directly (Bartol et al, 2003). 3.1.1 Technological Element SecurityMails emphasis is on harnessing technology to get information moved intelligently, reliably, quickly and securely. It is therefore paramount that management stay abreast of changes in technology. They do this through memberships on industry groups, journals, suppliers and through information extracted from the market by the sales team and by attendance at overseas trade shows. Continual re-investment of capital into technology and equipment has been essential for the organisation to remain competitive. This re-investment has ensured that SecurityMails products and services are meeting or exceeding the demands of their clients. Many of these new technologies are at the forefront in the market in which it operates. SecurityMail has invested in new equipment harnessing the latest in technology to process client work faster and more efficient than ever before. 3.1.2 Economic Element Tony Revell concluded during his discussions that the economic element does have an important impact on the operations of SecurityMail. The importance extended to national issues such as inflation and interest rates. This effect was felt recently on market forces impacting the financial services segment. Declining share prices of some of their major clients impacted the clients marketing dollar and as such SecurityMail experienced reduced marketing campaign work, a factor of which they could not exert control over. 3.1.3 Legal-political Element The organisation functions under the required legislation governing the operation of companies within Australia. This does not have a huge impact on the operations of the organisation but does still play a factor in its business decisions and application of corporate governance. The new privacy legislation that became effective in December 2001 impacts the ways in which SecurityMail can store, transfer and use the data it collects from its clients. The impact felt was relative to new processes of operation it had to adopt to comply with the legislation but has now just become part of the way the company does business. Positive legal and political impacts have been felt through the deregulation of the financial, telecommunications and utilities markets. Changes impacting SecurityMails clients through political and legal changes has created additional growth opportunities for SecurityMail. Client legislative requirements can impact the operations of SecurityMail such as legal mailings advising customers of a bank rate change. This form of communication is legislated and equates to penalties being imposed to the financial institution if mail is not received by customers by a pre-determined date. The legal environment experienced by its clients is therefore transferred to SecurityMail. The organisation recognises that it must keep abreast of legal and political changes in the external environment to ensure it complies with relevant legislation and reacts to identified business opportunities. It also must keep abreast of the legal and political factors experienced by its clients to ensure customer satisfaction and loyalty and the avoidance of penalties. 3.1.4 Sociocultural Element The sociocultural element focuses on the attitudes, norms, values, beliefs and behaviours of the demographic region in which an organisation operates (Bartol et al, 2003). As SecurityMail only operates within Australia the impact is not seen as having a major influence on SecurityMails operations. When questioned further Tony Revell elaborated on regional sociocultural elements impacting the organisation: * The adoption of flexible work practices to accommodate demands in society for family friendly employers. * Recognition of language barriers and systems for overcoming these for the unskilled manufacturing labour force. * Challenges in the future with the introduction of new technology. Additional training resources will be required by the organisation to skill up its blue-collar workers. * New technology will also require labour with higher skills sets which will be harder to draw upon in the local area. * Occupational Health Safety issues with an ageing mostly female blue-collar workforce. 3.1.5 International Element This element was not seen as having a major impact on SecurityMail. The only international dealings relate to information seeking regarding new technologies and equipment. There is no move at this stage for SecurityMail to enter the international arena. 3.2 Task Environment The second external environment segment impacting on organisations is the task environment. The task environment encompasses the elements an organisation must deal with when interfacing during the course of conducting its business. Elements included in this segment are customers and clients, competitors, suppliers, employees and government bodies. As organisations confront these elements during the course of its operations the organisation is more likely to have an impact on these elements rather than those in the mega environment (Bartol et al, 2003). 3.2.1 Customers and Clients SecurityMail has a diverse client base interacting with blue-chip companies in the financial services, telecommunications, utilities and advertising sectors. Since SecurityMails inception it has been their aim to provide a customer oriented service that meets the changing needs of their clients and to create a total solution that is integrated, flexible and cost effective. They have created a niche in the market by providing a personalised service, tailored to meet the individual needs of their customers. SecurityMail works closely with their clients to ensure that requirements are understood and met and that service level agreements are both reflective of the needs of the client but also the resourcing and capacity levels at SecurityMail. Regular work in progress and client meetings are held to discuss the progress of campaigns and redevelopment work and also to address quickly any issues that require resolution. The organisation also conducts regular customer satisfaction surveys and has implemented a corrective action system to ensure any client complaints and non-conformances are communicated to senior management and are acted upon in a timely manner to achieve the best outcome for both the client and SecurityMail. Each client in excess of $50,000 has a dedicated Account Manager to service their needs and add value to their operations thereby cementing further the relationship with SecurityMail. SecurityMail manages many customer relationship programs for their clients and therefore has the opportunity to observe and adopt best practice in terms of customer relationship management principles practiced by blue-chip Australian companies. The relationship between SecurityMail and its clients is seen as having the utmost importance to the sustained success of the organisation. 3.2.2 Competitors There are many players in the mail processing industry but only five organisations who compete in SecurityMails market space and competition is fierce for new work. The market is not boyant with most work available being already won by various mail houses. New opportunities are obtained via official tender processes when contracts expire, outsourcing (of which there are not many companies who have not outsourced their direct mail needs), and company acquisitions. Competitive advantage in most cases comes down to price and service. Customer retention is a quality and customer satisfaction issue. There is little technological differentiation in the industry with no new major players surfacing for several years due to the high capital required because of the costs of technology and equipment. The mail processing industry is highly competitive and new initiatives do not remain secret for too long. Industry gossip is rife. Information on competitors is sourced predominately from personal contacts but also from the market, industry journals and publications, published materials such as annual reports, stock market reports and market research. SecurityMail is aware of the activities of their competitors and conducts various benchmarking, pricing, efficiency and customer satisfaction exercises to obtain a competitive advantage. 3.2.3 Suppliers SecurityMail is always looking to strengthen its portfolio of offerings through strategic relations with key suppliers and partners. Partnerships with suppliers exist across all aspects of the service offerings of SecurityMail. Suppliers provide service and maintenance agreements on all equipment and also provide letterhead and envelopes and printed marketing material and receive outsourced work that SecurityMail is not able to process in-house. It is imperative that these relationships are nurtured as the service provided by their suppliers impacts on the ability of the organisation to meet service level agreements with their clients. The performance of all suppliers is monitored and preferred supplier agreements are set up to ensure that the organisation receives the most cost effective, efficient and reliable service possible from their suppliers. Clients are encouraged to allow SecurityMail to source items for them such as letterhead which it does through their preferred supplier s. This ensures that SecurityMail not only makes margin on the purchase but also allows SecurityMail to control the process. 3.2.4 Labour supply and the importance of managing diversity The attraction and retention of skilled personnel is of high importance to SecurityMail. One of the organisations aims is to become an employer of choice. Career development and mentoring programs, competitive remuneration, training and development opportunities and employee benefit packages have been developed to both attract and retain staff. The mail processing industry is highly specialised and as such it is difficult to source experienced staff. The aim is to retain experienced staff and develop the skills of less experienced staff. As the organisation adopts new technologies more highly skilled staff will be required. Sourcing initiatives will need to be developed to attract potential staff from outside the local area due to a lack of the skill base available in the community within which SecurityMail operates. SecurityMail enjoys harmonious relations with the AMWU (Automaotive, Food, Metals, Engineering, Printing and Kindred Industries Union). This relationship is of high importance to the success of the organisation and will continue to be developed and fostered to promote opportunities for labour force flexibility such as weekend shift work and twelve hour shifts. 3.2.5 Government Agencies SecurityMail interacts with various government agencies such as employer organisations, WorkCover and the Australian Tax Office. Interactions with these bodies are seen as being a necessary activity in the operations of SecurityMail but is not seen as being a concern in the sales process. 4 The Importance of the Mega and Task Environments Tony Revell recognises the important part each external factor has to play in the operations of SecurityMail. The only factors not viewed as being important to the sales process were government agencies and the international element. Interactions with government agencies were viewed as being a Finance function and not related to the sales process. The organization still views the element as being important but it does not impact upon Tony Revell and his team. The international element is not relevant to SecurityMail as the company only operates within Australia. Mr Revell conceded however that if operations moved off-shore then this element would become an important consideration for SecurityMail. The ability to grow and prosper in the external environment is recognised as not being the documenting of a list of policies or institutional structures but rather an ability to incorporate external stimuli into coherent internal systems (West, 2001). SecurityMail has adopted this practice and incorporates the threats and opportunities of all of the relevant factors of the external environment into their operations. 5 Conclusion Since SecurityMails inception it has been their aim to provide a customer oriented service that meets the changing needs of their clients. They have to continually respond to the increasingly complex demands of the markets in which they operate. The increasing trend during recent years to out-source non-core activities together with technological advancements has seen those demands become more time critical and sophisticated in their application. All aspects of the external environment need to be monitored for any business to experience sustained success and competitive advantage in the market. This is recognised by SecurityMail and the success of this approach has resulted in them enjoying continued growth and expansion. Monitoring the external environment has also enabled them to keep abreast of changes and opportunities within their industry and to continue to expand and improve upon their product and service base.

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